“A cheerful heart is good medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22 NIV)
Research has confirmed that there is a link between depression and suicide. About two-thirds of the people who commit suicide are depressed at the time of their deaths. The research also disclosed that seven out of every hundred men and one out of every hundred women who have been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime will go on to complete suicide (https:www.cga.ct.gov > tmy).
Information emanating from the National Library of Medicine alluded to an article written by Doctors Jie Zhang and Ziyao Li (“The Association between Depression and Suicide when Hopelessness Is Controlled for,”) acknowledged that “although depression, as well as other mental illnesses, is a strong risk factor for suicide, depression, and suicide are both related to hopelessness, which in turn could be related to a consequence of psychological strains resulted from social structure and life events.”
Beloved of God, know that there are times when we may not be able to control difficulties and adverse situations that confront us, but we can control our reaction to them. To cultivate a feeling of hopelessness is a doorway to depression and, finally, death. Medical interventions alone are not the answer for depression since many antidepressant medications have various side effects, including suicidal thoughts (http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/antdepressants/default.htm). Worry, if allowed to fester, will result in depression.
John Edmund Haggai, author of How to Win Over Worry, contends that worry (in Greek – meriamnao) means “to divide the mind” between worthwhile interests and damaging thoughts. He further quotes James 1:8 (NKJV), which states that “a double-minded man [is] unstable in all his ways.” The author notes that to be unstable “in all his ways” means to be unstable in emotions, thought processes, decisions, and judgement.
The author further stated that peace of mind requires singleness of mind. The worrier robs himself of peace of mind, i.e., worry divides the feelings, leading to a lack of stability and understanding. Therefore, convictions are shallow and changeable, dividing the faculty of perception, while attitudes and decisions are often unjust. Haggai concluded that the aforementioned leads to damages and grief and posited that ‘worry’ is the cause of heartbreak, failure, misunderstanding, suspicion, and most unhappiness.
Elect of God, in order to get the misery of depression off your back, remember your daily blessings (Psalm 139:17-18). It matters not what you are going through; live, give, and forgive. Let your joy arise from the blessedness of giving, helping, and doing. Let prayer and praise to God be the pattern of your life regardless of what you are going through, and God will bless your faithfulness. After all, He did admonish us not to worry (Matthew 6:25-34). Amen!
Read: Isaiah 40:31; Matthew 11:28
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 103:1-12; 2 Corinthians 1:1-11; 2 Chronicles 26; 2 Chronicles 27; 2 Chronicles 28
Worrying indeed can cause persons to fall into depression. Presently I am working with a client, where by she has two children. Whom I should say not showing that kind of love which she might need. Going to the doctor offend taking different kind of medication 💊 it’s not healing her so she gets depressed. Looking at her you can see clearly how depressed she feels. Make statements like I am tired of doctors. I questioned her . I asked what are you thinking? Answer is she will take her hand point it to her head with a sign of a gun. That suicide thinking. Has a believer I dismissed that thought from her. I uses words of encouragement to her. Dismiss that thinking. I speak positivness to her. Let her know that there are still purpose in her. There are reasons why God has kept you to this ages. Then she will say yes that is true. Being an health worker and a child of the most high God we must try to help persons who are suffering, from those kind of spirits.